.PAX File Extension

File TypePAX Archive

What is a PAX file?

Portable Archive Exchange (PAX) file created by pax, a command line utility used for creating and extracting archives; may store the archive in one of pax's several supported formats, which include bcpio, cpio, sv4cpio, sv4crc, tar, and ustar.

More Information

Sometimes the ".pax" extension is used as an alternative to the .TAR and .CPIO formats, since there were differences that evolved between the two formats as they were developed. In this manner, the pax utility can handle both formats transparently while the file extension remains neutral.

NOTE: The ".pax" extension is not commonly used. Instead, archives used by pax usually retain their original extensions, such as ".tar" or ".cpio." By default, pax creates archives in the ustar format.

About PAX Files

Our goal is to help you understand what a file with a *.pax suffix is and how to open it.

The PAX Archive file type, file format description, and Mac, Windows, and Linux programs listed on this page have been individually researched and verified by the FileInfo team. We strive for 100% accuracy and only publish information about file formats that we have tested and validated.